Carrie Ann Inaba as Nationals judge?

And then there's the whole issue of USA Dance itself following its own rules. I mean really, if their own National championship isn't run according to their own rules, then how can they expect anyone else to follow anything in that Rule Book?

Now, I think there might be some kind of team match thing, I seem to recall an email about how people can qualify by dancing in multiple NQEs, but I haven't been paying attention to it...perhaps they'll have her in to judge that? That could be kind of fun.

And then there's the whole issue of USA Dance itself following its own rules. I mean really, if their own National championship isn't run according to their own rules, then how can they expect anyone else to follow anything in that Rule Book?

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Yep, if they have her judge, imagine when they go and try to tell someone their costume doesn't match the rule book. "Well neither does the judging panel, and you're allowing that!"

I can totally understand everybody being so upset with the news that Carrie Ann Inaba is going to judge at the Nationals. I do agree that every body work way too hard to be judged by somebody the don't have the qualifications. I sure hope USAdance pay attention to this thread. But....

Until now it has all been speculation of what event she will be judging and in what capacity. Somebody should really put together an official letter to USAdance and find out what exactly she will be doing there. It might be a good idea if USAdance did a press release. It will not do any of you any good, feeling that you are not being judged by the best that USAdance can find. Some may feel like giving up even before they have danced. I would suggest getting more information before getting all upset and negative about the upcoming Nationals. This is just my 2 cents worth.

Once again I totally understand what you are feeling and I agree she have no business judging any event (a team match for fun, a jack and gill or some other event like that would be OK) where technical skill and quality should be judged (which to me is 99.99% of the nationals). If they (USAdance) wanted a judge from DWTS that is a world class judge they should have asked Len.

This is all with the best of intentions. The top competitors will hopefully stand out above the rest. Carrie Ann may not recognize the specific technical proficiencies of some...but the really good should be apparent.

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That depends on what one perceives as really good. There are many couples that can "fake" being good...but are technically weak. Dancers deserve to be judged based on their ability. They will represent the US to the world. They deserve to have an IDSF judge judge them. These are the rules! How can they expect people to follow rules if they do not do so by example. It is making a joke out of the sport. The Nationals is a serious event. If this was a small, local comp..its one thing. The Nationals is not a place for such publicity.

Simple, if the worlds accept Carrie Ann Inaba as a judge, we should..... why not ask them?

If the answer is negative then what the heck is going on? I think we all accept that judging dancesport requires an expert, trained and experienced eye. Thus, either ballroom dancing is a sport that can be judged or we should just foget the whole Dancesport concept and go boogie.

Personally, I find it hard, indeed impossible to take this story seriously. If the organizers do anything more than have her 'judge' an event that has no more significance than entertainment they have tacitly declared themselves as in need of replacement.

I mean what if an argument ensues as to the eligibility of the winners?

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They should indeed be worried about adverse publicity and some kind of protests being filed, not about the results but about officials feeling that they were free to ignore the rulebook they are charged with enforcing.

Completely incorrect. Try reading the rulebook - "IDSF judges" are a whole other category in a whole other rulebook than USA Dance nationals eligible judges. It would appear quite easy to for an individual to be both, or to be one but not the other in either direction.

Basically, a senior 4/5 style judge from the NDCA world is elgible to work at USA Dance Nationals, but without paperwork under the IDSF system they would not be an "IDSF judge". Meanwhile, an IDSF judge without smooth/rhythm certification is not eligible to work nationals.

I would also suspect that IDSF would permit a national governing body to simply appoint a couple if that body feels selecting one via a national competition is impractical (world event being scheduled incompatibly with national one, change in event definitions, needing a replacement, etc)

Completely incorrect. Try reading the rulebook - "IDSF judges" are a whole other category in a whole other rulebook than USA Dance nationals eligible judges. It would appear quite easy to for an individual to be both, or to be one but not the other in either direction.

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Rulebook. Page 5. Article 2.1.18. and 2.1.19.
....All participants and officials must be sanctioned by IDSF.

2.1.18 A “Proficiency Point Eligible Competition” is a competition whereby the competitors will accumulate
proficiency points. These events include:
a) All USA Dance sanctioned competitions, National Qualifying Events and National
Championships.
b) Competitions organized under the rulebook and authority of the NDCA
c) Competitions organized under the rulebook of the IDSF or an IDSF Member federation
2.1.19 A “Certified Competition” is

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Perhaps you have an old rulebook. The language you are referencing is rather imprecise, in a way that could cause problems given some of the political infighting going on betwen the organizations, so it could have been removed in an effort to make the rulebook practically possible to comply with.

2.1.19 A “Certified Competition” is a Competition organized under the rulebook of the NDCA whereby theOrganizer has provided the additional assurance that all entrants and officials will be limited to those ofIDSF member federations. This assurance must be published in all entry literature and communicated to​